


The Try Guys Try the Apocalypse

by JoliChose



Category: Buzzfeed The Try Guys (Web Series)
Genre: Apocalypse, F/M, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Nuclear War, Psychic Abilities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2020-10-19 02:30:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20649737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoliChose/pseuds/JoliChose
Summary: "The first feeling is always the worst. Everything just hit you in one big wave that wakes you up so fast you want to throw up or pass out again. It is an overwhelming bunch of sensations that makes you wish you weren’t born at all."





	1. The Rising Sun

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the mistakes my work may have, english isn't my first language !

The first feeling is always the worst. Everything just hit you in one big wave that wakes you up so fast you want to throw up or pass out again. It is an overwhelming bunch of sensations that makes you wish you weren’t born at all.  
Eugene Lee Yang had just experienced that. There was the smell of dust and chemicals burning is inside. He didn’t even opened his eyes, believing they would just melt away if he did.  
Fuck ! he swore as the ache in is back grew stronger.  
He tried to lift himself but his arms couldn’t hold him enough. He finally looked at the ground covered of dust and ashes and suddenly realised : that sure wasn’t an hangover. Something was so fucking wrong he suddenly was on his feet the next second, already analysing his environment.  
He was at the office – or at least he thought because everything was so fucked up he couldn’t even tell if he was alive. The walls were down, the ruins of the roof were few inches next to the foundation that stood still and most importantly, the bodies. There were bodies over the floor, his colleagues for sure. That was the moment Eugene started panicking.  
Eugene never cry. It is not something he does because he’s just like that. Some boys don’t cry ever. What he did at this moment wasn’t crying. He sat back on the floor, staring at nothing, then rose up while swearing, screaming at the world it was enough, then he let himself fall, hurting his skin. He didn’t care. He was alone, dead people around him, and did not know what the hell was happening. Another realisation hit him : he had amnesia. He did not remember the few hours before he blacked out. His last memory was him going to the office for work, and then… nothing. He didn’t remember who was there nor what he did. He worked for sure, but on what ? Was he in a meeting ? Editing ? He didn’t now and that frustrated him.  
After an hour of losing his mind and panicking, he started to think. Something obviously happened, it was big and a lot of people died. He had to figure it out. He looked at the bodies on the ground to see if Ned or Keith or Zach were there. It took him twenty whole minutes because he had to put away pieces of wall and his back wouldn’t stop aching. By now, he has understood that he has been knocked down by concrete on his back.  
His friends weren’t there. The realisation took him another minute and he found himself lost. He never has felt this lonely in his life and God knows how much he already felt this way. Suddenly, there was just too much weight on his shoulders and he felt the urge to sit down again. What could he do now ? Where could he look for his best friends ? At their home for sure. He had to visit them.  
Unfortunately, the night has come already. Usually, Eugene wouldn’t feel unsafe walking down the streets at night, but everything was just ruins and looked really scary as shadows in the dark. Thing is, he couldn’t wait. He stood up and started walking on the sidewalk. It felt weird to be on the road even though it was obvious that no car could drive there. There was no lights, it seemed that electricity was off. It was only Eugene Lee Yang and his shadows, desperate and alone.  
As the man was walking down the streets on the road – he soon found out the sidewalk was too dangerous for his feet as the scratches on his knees show, he felt more and more unsafe. There were noises all around him as if wildlife already took over humanity. L.A had become a ghost town. For Eugene, it was like the souls of the dead people were walking with him and he didn’t know how to feel. It was either scary and reassuring, he wasn’t just a lone man.  
Maybe he would have prefer.  
It was nearly the end of the night, around 3 a.m. in the morning – it was summer, the nights were short – and Eugene was almost at Ned’s house – or at least he thought he was. He heard by his left footsteps in the ruins. He didn’t mind first, thinking it was some sort of animals, but then he could clearly recognise someone running. Soon he was on the ground and someone was hitting him while screaming.  
“Give me your fucking wallet ! they said.”  
Without a second thought, he did so. He picked up his wallet in his vest – that was a luck he had it on him and not in his backpack he couldn’t find at the office – and took off his ID before handing it to his aggressor. The person was putting a knife on his throat – he didn’t feel it before it was removed, everything was happening so fast – and then it was gone. When Eugene lifted up, there was no one in the streets. He stayed on the ground for a moment, breathing slowly to regain himself. What the hell happened to America ?  
When Eugene arrived at the Fulmer’s house, he could clearly hear the cries of a baby.  
“Shit, Wes !”  
Ignoring his burning back, he ran through the ruins but stopped at what he saw in what was the baby’s bedroom. There were Ariel and Ned, holding the crying baby as they wanted to protect him, covered in blood and injuries. He kneeled in front of them to get Wes out and they didn’t move. This simple thing was frightening. They looked dead. So Eugene held his nephew against his chest with one hand and took the pulse of the couple with the other. He sighed in relief when he felt their heartbeat, but still noticed that Ariel’s was way slower than Ned. He needed to do something, get them wake up so he wouldn’t be alone, with his friends’ orphan who he still struggle to take care of while trying to cope with their death. His heart ached at this thought, but then he reasoned himself and searched for the baby sling or at least a long scarf. Even though he couldn’t find the first, he managed to find a piece of fabric long enough to carry the baby. He put Wes on it and wrap him safely after putting him on his back. He made sure the sort-of-scarf was well tangled before cleaning the ground to lay down the couple there. Close to Eugene, smelling his uncle scent, Wesley calmed down and started to sleep after hours of screaming in his parents arms. The man who was holding him couldn’t stop to whisper “fuck”, “shit” and other pretty words like these. He was moving fast, not really knowing what he was doing. His priority was Ariel who was the most injured. But there was nothing else to do except grooming them. They were breathing, their heart were beating, he just had to keep them alive until they wake up. Not that much of a hard task if it wasn’t the apocalypse in L.A. Eugene sat beside them and took Wes in his arms, holding him like the most precious thing in the world. He started to feel sleepy but decided it wasn’t the moment. Just not yet, not when his friends, their baby and even himself risked death – even though he had to admit that between his life and the Fulmers’, he would choose their. He backed against a piece of wall that was still standing and closed his eyes for a moment, ignoring the burning fire in his body, as if the pain in his back had crawled up into every members. He was exhausted, emotionally and physically. He just wanted to sleep at this moment... Just a little nap...  
And as Eugene was falling asleep, the rising sun was making his way in the sky, lightning the ruins of the city who was covered with dust, a big fog above the people as the end of the world was silently progressing. What no one knew was the chemicals that were slowly taking over America.


	2. How to Survive the Apocalypse

Ned Fulmer had been staring at the sky for a very long time now. He was trying to get over his strong headache and the whistle in his ears. He coughed when he tried to inhales because of the dust and the weird scent that burned his throat. It was hot and the warmest part of his body was his left arm but he did not know why. When his brain started to record the sensations, he got confused and frustrated. There was pain in his body : his back, the top of his head, his belly, his throat, his eyes, his legs and... his left arm. He lifted it and saw the dirty blood that was covering it. He tried to shift up but went too fast and felt his body ache. There were some big scratches on his skin where the blood came out with rocks, dirt and dust.  
“Ariel ? he called, his eyes on his hand.”  
A bark answered him.  
“Bean ?!”  
He was standing the second after and, ignoring the pain, made his way to the sound. Under a heavy pile of bricks, he discovered his dog. His vision was still limited, but he could recognise him, under the metal that saved him from being killed by the concrete. Bean jumped on him and licked his face, his tail was swinging so fast and he was always moving with excitement. Ned held him for a long moment with joy until he calmed down. It was the moment his brain realised and made him remember.  
_It was almost night. He had decided to come home earlier than the other guys because Ariel was sick and he wanted to help her taking care of the baby and take care of her at the same time. When he got home, he received a text from Zach that said Keith and he were coming home and Eugene was still working at the office. He made Ariel go to bed, gave her water and everything she wanted before she fell asleep. An hour later, as he was cleaning the kitchen, Wes started crying. He went to see him and picked him up from his crib. Her wife soon appeared._  
_“Ariel, go to bed I’m taking care of Wes._  
_-No, I want to see him... she said while approaching of her husband and the baby. Hey baby Wes, what happened ?”_  
_The baby stopped crying but was still looking sad. Then an alarm could be heard in Los Angeles. An alarm that they only heard in films. They knew about the threat of Kim Jong Un who said he would fire a bomb to the USA – these usual threats between a dumb president and a bastard dictator. Truth was, they actually had the power to fire bombs and not of all sort. Nuclear bombs._  
_“What’s happening ? Ariel panicked as Wes started crying again._  
_-I- I don’t know ! It-it’s a b-bomb ! Ned stuttered, panicking too.”_  
_Then they heard building falling apart, they came closer to their baby in order to protect him. He felt a heavy wind knocking them over, objects falling on him, hurting him, but everything he could think of was protecting his wife and his child. Something heavy hit his head and he blacked out._  
He winced in pain and stood up, looking around the mess that L.A was. He noticed Ariel leaning on the ground and ran to her.  
“Ariel ! Fuck Ariel are you okay ? he shouted.”  
He started crying. That woke Wes up, who started crying, but also Eugene. The man on the floor didn’t have the time to talk that his friend was already by his side.  
“Eugene what the fuck happened ?  
-You tell me, I don’t know anything about this fucking situation, answered calmly Eugene while trying to make the baby stop crying.”  
That disconcerted Ned for seconds.  
“You really don’t know ?  
-No ! I-I was in the office yesterday’s morning and then I woke up in dust and ruins, it was almost night and you weren’t there !”  
The other man looked at him weirdly after collapsing to the ground in pain and sadness.  
“I’m so sorry Eugene... There was... There was a bomb. That’s all... that’s all I can tell you.”  
He put his hands on his face and grunted.  
“Are you okay ? asked his best friend, unsure.  
-NO I’M NOT ! The love of my live is almost dead and I don’t even have a life anymore.”  
Eugene whispered an insult before holding Ned up.  
“It’s okay, she’s breathing, she has a heartbeat, she’s gonna be okay... Do you hear me Ned ?  
-Yeah, yeah...  
-She’s gonna wake up and we’re gonna be looking for Keith and Zach...  
-And... what about your dogs ? Ned realised.”  
Eugene froze and suddenly he looked really vulnerable. He took a step back and stared at the floor.  
“We’re... we’re gonna find them, okay ? Before looking for Zach and Keith. We’re gonna get them.  
-Thanks, Eugene breathed.”  
He gave the baby to his dad who held him close to his chest with almost as much joy as Bean being find out. He cried again, but of happiness while Wes was moving against him, playing with his shirt.  
During the reunion of the father and the son, Eugene was trying to wake Ariel up with the help of Bean. Her heartbeat was getting lower and lower and she was getting colder. He held her in his arms, try to warm her, and stimulated her. She finally opened her eyes and winced, putting a hand on her forehead.  
“Ned ?  
-Definitely not Ned, said Eugene with a smile of victory.  
-What- oh my god is he-  
-Ned’s fine, he’s with Wes who is also fine, he cut her off.”  
She released the air she wasn’t aware of holding. Her saviour got away so she could see her husband crying and holding a giggling baby – because Wes had stopped crying. She crawled to them in ache and hugged them, crying too. Ned kissed her several times passionately. That made Eugene quite uncomfortable so he started playing with the dog who was desperately in need of stimulation.

You must wonder what really happened... well it is as simple as global politics : bunch of mean playing who has the biggest. There were some fights between Trump and Jong Un. China and Russia reinforced their relations with South Korea and threatened the USA so the European Union had to take part in it. Even though it first tried to calm down things, it did not ended well. South Korea fired a nuclear bomb to USA that missed and hit Mexico. The United States answered but hit north east of Russia, who answered and hit the allies of the USA – Europe. The bomb first had to land on Paris but it got Brussels instead. Now the planet was a mess and the only almost clean continents were Oceania, Africa and Antarctica. It was only a question of time before they were affected by the chemicals slowly replacing the atmosphere.

For now, let’s go back to our try guys who are way more interesting. Few kilometers apart from Ned’s house, Keith, Becky, Zach and Bowie were together, trying to recomposed themselves. There had been a lot of tears, screams and panic, but now they were almost fine.  
“What do we do now ? Keith asked while trying to be calm.  
-I don’t know, I just- I think we should... like find our relatives... or at least survivors ? Zach answered.  
-What about Ned and Eugene ? Becky thought.  
-Oh we should definitely go and see if they’re alive, Zach acquiesced.”  
He tried not to imagine what it would be if they were not.  
“We should go to Ned’s house, he was at his home when the bomb hit, Keith said.”  
Everyone agreed, but then Bowie started running. His owner was the first to react by running behind him, but his foot hit a brick and he fell with a loud scream of pain. Keith get near him really quickly and so did Becky. The young man was holding his knee and bleeding.  
“Fuck ! he yelled.”  
His best friend took of his shirt and wiped out the bottom in order to cover the injury. He put his shirt back and it showed half of his belly but he didn’t care that much. Zach rose and they followed the direction Bowie took, more slowly though.

Eugene was playing with Bean when out of nowhere, a dog showed up to him. He took him time to realise he knew him and that was actually Bowie. He rose up instantly with excitement and looked around to find his owner. There were three silhouettes few meters away and he started running toward them, the dogs following his steps.  
“Goddamn you’re still alive, he shouted as he opened his arms to hug them.”  
Even though he didn’t really like hugs, the situation was one of these who get you things you wouldn’t think of before. Hugging his not-dead best friends was one of them. Zach hugged him back so tightly it almost hurt him and Keith was more gentle but his happiness was still out of control. No one could blame him for that.  
When they separated, Zach and Keith were crying and Becky was holding back her tears.  
“I’m really glad you’re here, Eugene said with a point of vulnerability in his voice.  
-I’m glad too, Zach murmured, wiping the water off his face.  
-Bean ! That the first time I’m glad to see him ! Keith said while crouching to pat the dog. So you’ve found Ned, Ariel and Wes ?  
-How’s the baby ? Becky asked out of anxiety.  
-Everyone’s fine I think. Except for Ariel, she was already sick and all, their friend explained. But I’m sure she’ll be fine. What about you ?  
-Well I just fell trying to catch Bowie and now my knee hurt as fuck, the youngest complained.”  
Eugene took place next to him and put his arm around his neck. Zach thought they will be walking like that, he did not expect his friend to pull him up and hold him in his arms like a bride.  
“We’ll take a look with the others.”  
They walked to the Fulmers and everyone hugged and cheered together. There was a certain relief when they knew everyone was alive. Well, almost everyone.  
“Hum, where’s Maggie ? Ariel asked with concern.”  
Everyone fell silent and looked at Zach who was watching the floor. He seemed sad and confused.  
“We don’t know where she is, Keith answered for him, knowing damn well how he was affected by this simple fact.”  
Those who didn’t already know about that hugged him again and tried to reassure him – which was not really a waste because Zach felt a little better knowing he wasn’t alone. And when he watched his loved ones together, not looking well but alive, he felt that he could survive the Apocalypse. It just took a bunch of best friends willing to help each other. With that, everyone can take the time to heal.


	3. The Time to Heal

There was something odd about healing for Eugene Lee Yang. At least, healing mentally. Not a long time ago, his family got to deal with war and death as if the two horsemen tried to take them down. They seemed to have defeat them, but now Armaggedon has come and the not-so-catholic little boy was the one to defeat directly these demons. He had seen his co-workers dead and tried not to shed a tear, but he knew he had to tell his friends. He just didn’t want now. He knew how hurt and desperate they will be. He didn’t want to see them cry, having to deal with that. He felt like he could deal with it alone, taking all the sadness he could for himself, being the shoulder to cry on while never complain. But he also knew it wouldn’t be like that. Someone will ask about the team, they will ask Eugene as he was to one to be at the office, and because he didn’t want them to see the corpses, he will be forced to tell them. This couldn’t be one of his secrets.

Everyone in the group got hurt. For some, it was only scratches, but for others it was more serious. So with what they could find in the ruins, they managed to heal everyone. Zach even got a homemade splint by Keith which he was really proud of. Eugene was mostly taking care of the dogs who also got injured. It was like he was talking to them. They were looking at him like he was their whole world and trusted him in applying first aids.  
“Looks like you do pretty well with these ones... Becky said while trying to help him – it was the moment her husband was taking care of Zach’s foot.  
-I’ve always said I love animals, he smiled, playing with Bowie who was trying to catch his hand with his teeth.”  
She laughed and caressed the excited dog.

Wesley started crying around eleven in the morning. That caught his parents off guard. He didn’t eat since the last night, before the bomb was landed. Everyone started worrying because no one got food.  
“I think we should run an errand, Eugene proposed, knowing full well what to do.  
-What ? But there is no shop anymore ! Ned answered, panicking.  
-The shops are still here, but we won’t have to pay, the other explained. I think we can also find food in the rest of houses, like cans...”  
Everyone acquiesced.  
“So... we have to make two groups ? Ariel asked.”  
Eugene shook his head.  
“Yep, but we have to be prepared. There are vandals. One attacked me earlier and took my wallet.  
-I- I will go, she said, determined but still kind of panicking.”  
Keith asked to come too and was welcomed.  
“Wait Ariel ! Ned screamed a little louder than expected. Are you sure ? I mean, it’s dangerous...  
-That’s as dangerous for you than for me. I know you can take care of the baby and you have Becky and Zach with you.”  
He sighed.  
“Fine. I love you.”  
They kissed then took Wes and Eugene gave him the scarf. The group “Finding Food in the Ruins” started to search as soon as possible while Eugene turned to the others and spoke :  
“We have to be prepared.”  
He took a metal bar off the ground.  
“That means we need weapons.”  
He gave it to Keith, trusting him to kick strong enough to – at least – knock down any enemies. Ariel got the axe from the garden and Eugene was happy enough with a kitchen knife. With it, he cut a long piece of his black shirt and put it on his face, covering his nose and mouth. His two companions did the same, but not followed any further when their friend put dust on his forehead and around his eyes. With his black hair, he could be invisible in the ruins or in a building. The three of them were scary and looking at them just made Zach and Ned realised what was happening. That was the apocalypse, eating could mean fighting too.

Ariel, Eugene and Keith made their way to the closest grocery store that was half destroyed by the explosion’s blast of air. Fortunately, when they entered the shop, there still was food, tons of food cans. They stole as much as possible, trying to fit the cans everywhere they could – and that could mean their pants, except for Eugene whose pants are too tight. They also stole kitchen stuff because they still had to cook, even though they were now kind of a hippie sect living in the wood rejecting technology and all that stuff. If there had been people around, they didn’t approached them so they had no disturbances.  
Ned was leaning over the ground, his baby on his torso, removing pieces of walls and roofs off the ground, making a pile of it. With Becky and Zach, they cleaned almost all of the house and tried to collect as much things as possible. When the others came back, a fire was already there, ready to cook something and that’s what they did. The priority was Wes, and his mum fed him very soon, making the cries stop for everyone’s pleasure. But she suddenly had to pass the baby at someone else and run away a little so few could see her throwing up. It happens that the child ended up in Ned’s arms who got to take care of him.  
“What’s happening Ariel ?!  
-I’m going, don’t worry, Eugene said as he walked up to the blonde woman.”  
She was keeping herself up against a piece of wall.  
“What’s the matter ? Is it your illness ? he asked her.  
-No, it’s... I’m not really sick, Ariel explained.  
-You’re throwing up, you were staying in bed all day long, don’t lie Ariel. You look like you have an hangover all the time.  
-Well maybe I have ! she answered loudly, pissed off.”  
Eugene sighed and put his hands on his hips.  
“I understand if you don’t wanna really talk about it with Ned but hey, I’m not him. Just... argh, why is it wo hard to talk to people ?  
-Well, she inspired and expired slowly. I think I am pregnant... again.”  
Eugene froze. He wasn’t expecting that at all. He got somehow angry at that.  
“Fuck and you came with us knowing it was more dangerous that staying there ?  
-I- I just wanted... to help ! I can pick up bricks off the floor !  
-For how long did you know this ? Eugene asked with no feeling showed.  
-I learned about it last week. I’m not... vomiting excessively but I’m still feeling sick. I may be sick too, adding this to the pregnancy.  
-And what you’re gonna do ?  
-I don’t know. I wanted to tell Ned but now... god it’ll got him in so much stress knowing I’m pregnant in this condition... And I’m already in my second semester !”  
The man sighed again.  
“Let’s go back to the others.”  
They made their way back and Ariel smiled to her husband. She didn’t like lying to him but watching his face go paler out of anxiety is enough already.  
“I’m feeling much better, she reassured him. I think I’m finally getting rid of my illness.  
-You just threw up, her husband said blankly.  
-Yeah, but that definitely is the last time, don’t worry.”  
Ned didn’t seemed reassured at all and on the other hand, Eugene by his side looked really uncomfortable. Everyone collectively decided to ignore that and cooked, trying their best with what they’ve got.  
There will be time to heal, now that all the wounds get bandages. Some of them just get to be thicker that others, and took longer to heal.


	4. Everyone loves Campfire Stories

Once everyone was sitting around the fire, a lean but hot meal on each’s knees, the silence became uncomfortable. It was like a family dinner after the death of one member, a silence to not ask weird things, or make anyone cry. And it needed this always-joyful uncle to change that.  
“Hey, we got a fire, why don’t we tell stories ? Just like camping ! Keith proposed.  
-Because we’re not in a camping, Eugene answered with no expression, eating the face leaned over his food.”  
Ned hit him on the side.  
“Eugene !  
-Outch ! Why would you kick me ?! he let out, raising his head.”  
Everyone was looking at him. He watched each of them before realising his mistake.  
“Well, okay, let’s tell stories...”  
With this only sentence, it seemed all the tension was released, so Keith continued :  
“So, who wants to start ?  
-Well, I can, Zach said.”  
Everyone – except Eugene – leaned toward him and listened as he told his story.  
Eugene wasn’t fond of this kind of things. Opening up, even around a fire, wasn’t his thing. He never done this before and only started a little to his friends. He just didn’t remember telling to his mom, his dad or his sisters how much he felt insecure, almost like a failure, how unimportant he thought he was. The rare times he opened to Ned, Zach and Keith, they usually told him how awful his childhood have been. Well, they didn’t put it that way, but they clearly expressed pity for it. He still listened though, he was just pretending he wasn’t. The next person to speak was the one on his right, which meant Becky who told a very embarrassing fact about her husband, then Keith... and after that, it was Eugene’s turn.  
“Oh, I don’t know if I really should do this.  
-Come on ! You may have some interesting things to say, Becky said.  
-No, I’m not comfortable with that at all...”  
She shrugs and everyone was looking at Ned the second later, who started speaking.  
After one turn, when it was Zach again, he proposed to talk about how they woke up.  
“I was... at home, he said. But then I remembered Maggie said she wouldn’t be home until like, eleven, and I didn’t wanted to be alone so I called Keith and I went to his home. We were on the sofa and, well... that was the moment the explosion happened.  
-Yeah, I remember it so well ! Becky acquiesced. And when we woke up, everything was so different I thought I was dreaming. I reached for Keith and shook him so hard he woke up immediately.  
-That was the worst morning of my life, he joked. She was screaming my name and then things like “AM I FUCKING DREAMIN’ ?! AAAAAAAARGHGHLGLGB !”  
She gave him a little knock in the ribs.  
“How dare you ?  
-Well, that was like that ! Keith answered. And then we woke up Zach who was like “what the fuck’s happening” for like twenty minutes...  
-Yeah, he was so wasted... his wife laughed.”  
Zach didn’t seem to have much fun as the couple did.  
“How did you wake up ? he asked Ned after a few seconds.  
-Well, Eugene’s was there, with Bean and Wes in his arms. I panicked first because Ariel wouldn’t wake up and I was... thinking that she was dead. He reassured me.”  
Ned put his hand on Eugene’s shoulders and get closer to him. He could feel him tense up at the touch.  
“Sorry, he murmured while taking off his hand.  
-Wow, Eugene ! Looks like you level up at talking to people ! Keith joked again.  
-I don’t really think I did, he responded uncomfortably.  
-Well tell us how you woke up, Ariel asked gently.”  
He looked at them one by one, watching their interested look, the little smile on their face, the result of all the joy that Keith and Zach had bring up with their idea... He felt sad he had to be the black crow once again. If he told them, he should also say that the co-workers who were with him died. But that was the moment, or else he wouldn’t know when he could talk about this.  
“I woke up... last night, to be honest. I don’t remember much about the day before, when I came to the office in the morning. The rest is... it just doesn’t exist anymore in my memory. And then I woke up, it was night and I was covered in dust.  
-But what about the others ? Ned asked, frowning.”  
Eugene took the time to look at him. He then looked at the ground, at him again, the others but he couldn’t really see them. There was like a blurred filter preventing him to see their faces. So he looked at Ned again, whose eyes were getting wet and bright.  
“They’re... dead.”  
His voice was so low and shaking it almost didn’t sound like him. He was about to suffocate and felt a burn down his throat. His vision got more and more blurred and he was collapsing on the piece of concrete that was his chair.  
“I woke up between corpses and I have to tell you they’re fucking dead, he felt the urge to add because he didn’t wanted this to be silent.”  
He was crying. He only realised it when a hot tear fell down his cold face. And he didn’t like that at all. He would like to keep a straight face and be the guy everyone rely on, but right now it was just too much.  
“Please... say something... he said again but his voice just broke at the final word.”  
He felt how his parents had felt when they were going through their war. The Civil War that took half of his family, this half he never met. He never felt this as a loss since they meant nothing to him, but now... now that he was in the same situation. That wasn’t so easy. He covered his face with his hands. He couldn’t bear seeing anyone so weak and sad. It was the first time for him and he just wanted to be alone. Suddenly, there were arms around him and he recognised the voice of Keith – even though he didn’t recognise his arms but Ned’s – near his hear.  
“I’m so sorry Eugene...”  
He didn’t wanted this. He didn’t wanted to be hugged nor even touched. He didn’t wanted to be reassured like a child.  
“Stop it, he said loudly.  
-No, we’re not letting you down- Ned tried to explain.  
-LET ME GO !”  
He started to scream and kick so they let him go away. He rose up and started running away.  
“Fuck, Ned shouted.”  
He wiped his own tears off his face and looked at Eugene’s silhouette getting tinier and tinier...  
“We shouldn’t let him go away alone, Keith said.”  
Ned rose up and took the responsibility for that. He ran behind him, trying his best to avoid falling. It was like running on a soccer field, except that there would be a lot of opponent’s feet or balloons on his way.  
Eugene didn’t stop before he fell. Then he stayed the ground, looking like a starfish, watching the dusted sky. Ned arrived few seconds later.  
“You ok ? he asked, concerned.”  
His friend didn’t respond.  
“Is it... is it the first time you deal with death ? Ned said more directly.”  
Eugene turned to him and acquiesced slowly. The other man sit besides him, letting a great distance between them because he knew his friend wasn’t fond of proximity.  
“I’m so sorry it happened like that. It shouldn’t- but it’s not your fault. It’s not because you are the one who told us that we will hate you and, well, I feel like we’ll never. If you wanna talk, if you ever feel down, if you’re ever sad, we’re here and we can do whatever you want us to do to keep you- well I won’t say happy, but we can make you feel, at least, better.”  
There was a new silence after his monologue. Few seconds of anxiety passed before Eugene laughed nervously. It sounded broken.  
“I’m so pathetic...  
-You’re not pathetic, you’re traumatised.”  
Ned leaned just next to his friend, getting closer as he felt that he was more calm. Eugene looked confused.  
“Traumatised ?  
-This... this is something rough to live...”  
He paused for a second, thinking about what to say.  
“Nobody has prepared you for that and you never could prepare yourself. The walls you built-  
-I never built- Eugene cut him off.  
-The walls you built weren’t strong enough because you never went through that pain.”  
Eugene scoffed.  
“It’s not because I never lost someone that I’ve never been in pain !”  
He turned his back to Ned who answered immediately :  
“No it’s not- it’s not what I meant, Eugene. It’s just that it’s not the same pain. I would never say you didn’t suffered because I know you did, I assure you.”  
His interlocutor shifted on his back again. He saw two men coming to them : Zach and Keith.  
“How you doing Eugene ? the latter asked.  
-Better, the aforementioned smiled at him.”  
The new ones watched their friends for a moment before deciding to lay down with them.  
“I think... a piece of brick is under my shoulder, Zach said comically.”  
The three others laughed and Keith removed it for him.  
“So what are we doing next ? Eugene asked as it was all that mattered, as it didn’t ran away few minutes ago, as he didn’t told his friends that their co-workers – and also friends, let’s not forget – were dead.”  
His friends looked at him.  
“We’ll look out for Maggie and your dogs, Ned responded.”  
They all smile at each other and lifted up, but Eugene didn’t move to come back to the camp. He seemed worried.  
“Come on, it’s okay, Keith said while raising a hand to him.”  
He hesitated but ended up taking it. He did the same for the hand Ned rose after and they walked like that, close to each other. They made their way back to the wives with a smile on their face. That wasn’t the fondest smiles, but it showed at least how confident they were with each others, how alive they felt even in a situation like that. They hadn’t healed, of course, it will need more stories around a fire, more time, for this kind of wound and it never really cicatrise.


	5. Meet Me on the Equinox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where they find something useful - but will they find someone they're looking for ?

The group soon left the camp with improvised bags and all they could take. They organized themselves so the most vulnerable people – those who didn’t have weapons – were in the middle. Eugene took the lead to his apartment which was the closest in order to find his dogs.  
The road seemed to be long, even though it wasn’t that far. There was the silence in Los Angeles, a silence that shouldn’t be there but no one had the heart to make some jokes while walking. They finally arrived to the apartment and Eugene felt the urge to run toward it. He climbed the half-crumbled stairs and went through the collapsed door.  
“Pesto ! he yelled as he saw the dark fur of his dog.”  
He fell while trying to reach him but got up really fast and succeeded. The dog was a ball that surrounded his sister Emma. The first was sleeping, but the second was just to anxious, all of her body trembling, whining. When she saw Eugene, she got excited and walked to him. He lifted her up and hug her.  
“Oh my god I’m so sorry I wasn’t with you, it must have been so stressful for you...”  
She didn’t seem to be good at all. At least, physically, she didn’t have any wound. Her mind on the other hand must be filled with so much more anxiety than before that she might just die of stress soon. He held her tightly and kissed her forehead, sitting on the ground. Pesto woke up and jumped excitedly on his knees, his tail going left and right. Eugene caressed him a little but was really focused on Emma shaking in his arms.  
After a few minutes, his best friends who had decided to wait for him just walked in, concerned about what could take him so long. They were reassured when they saw that the two dogs were – it seemed – healthy.  
“How’s Emma ? Keith asked with concern, knowing how anxious she is after having babysit her for a day.  
-She’s traumatised, Eugene said slowly, with a low voice, almost under his breath.”  
They walked closer and Pesto jumped at them, so they played with him. When Eugene finally got up, Emma still in his arms, they walked out and joined the rest of the group.

The next location was Zach’s apartment. No one knew if Maggie was there, not even Zach, so going there might be a waste of time but that was the only place they thought of to find her.  
“We should try to get car, no ? Keith asked.  
-But there won’t be enough seats, Zach complained.  
-As if somebody care, there’s no cops anymore... Eugene pointed out.  
-I care ! the other said.”  
His friend did not answer, but Ned did.  
“Well, we must go somewhere where the bomb didn’t have destroyed everything and... we’ll be lucky enough if we find one car that works, Ned responded. But I’m with you, having two car would be safer.”  
Everyone acquiesced to that, but it wasn’t the priority now... they were approaching Zach’s home.

Everything was dark. It looked like a bar, but it was empty. Maggie was the only person there, across the floor. She looked around her : it seemed everyone had disappear. There was no light and the windows had been blown. Her souvenirs came back slowly and she had an headache, but otherwise her body was fine. She tried to walk to the street but a jeep drove fast and rejected concrete and glass around and she decided to stay there. She was a bit lost, even though she remembered the bombing. Did she have to go home ? Or stay here wondering if someone will either save or kill her ? The thought was heavy and she sat on the ground, at the verge of crying. Of course, she didn’t tell Zach where she was exactly, only that she was going to a bar. At the time, she didn’t know where she was going too. That was the moment she asked herself : where were her friends ?

Zach’s apartment was a bit of a disappointment. Even though the walls stood still, everything inside was shattered, broken or had flown away. No one knew what to do, what was the next step... Zach started to walk across the living room, worrying.  
“What did she told you ? Keith tried.  
-She said.... she said... She talked about going out with some of her friends...  
-Where ? Eugene questioned.  
-A restaurant, I think... or a bar...”  
They sighed.  
“We can’t do all of the bars and restaurants of Los Angeles ! Ned shouted.”  
He shot in a pile of dusted books but then his eyes perceived something.  
“What is that ?  
-My grandmother radio- wait what are you doing ? Zach panicked as he saw Ned turning the radio on and trying all of the buttons.”  
The thing started to make some recognisable sounds, but only one radio worked.  
“... in Mexico. The authority estimate the deaths at about seven hundred thousands of people. The bomb has not only affected Mexico, but also North America to the Montana and South America to Peru. The chemicals in Mexico and the south of the USA are killing more and more people and they’re expanding to the north. The important thing is to be safe, and the only state seem to be Alaska.  
-So... we need to go there ? Ned summed up.”  
The wives who were silent since the beginning of the conversation answered :  
“That’s the best...  
-Yeah, and we have Welsey... We shouldn’t wait.  
-But there’s so much people to find out there ! Our families ! Ned opposed. My sister, Ariel’s sister, Eugene’s sisters-  
-Ned, the latter cut him off.  
-What ? So you just want to fly away ?!  
-WE CAN’T SAVE EVERYBODY NED !  
-WHY NOT ? WHAT IF- WHAT IF I DON’T WANT TO LIVE IF MY FAMILY IS DEAD ?”  
Everyone went silent except for Ariel who was holding Wes.  
“Think about our baby !”  
He froze and stared at her, then at his son. He walked to them and dropped on his knees.  
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry...”  
He held them and cried. Some people around started crying too, and everyone let themselves the time to recover.  
They left the apartment with the radio and a stock of batteries. There was just more and more sadness surrounding them as they thought more about the implications... The fact that their families... they were condemned. It seemed so unreal, so far from their lives... Zach started singing as they all made their way downtown.  
Meet me on the Equinox  
Meet me half way  
When the sun is perched at it's highest peek  
In the middle of the day  
Maggie heard a gunshot near her and footsteps that were getting closer and closer... She started to run in the other direction, quitting the district as fast as she could. Some animals were running with her and that reassured her somehow.

  
_Let me give my love to you_   
_Let me take your hand_   
_And as we walk in the dimming light_   
_Oh darling understand_

  
Eugene stopped walking suddenly, feeling something weird in his brain. The dogs started barking, even Emma in his arms who was usually calm.  
“What’s happening ? Becky said.”  
Everyone was watching him as he closed his eyes, trying to think. He kept getting this odd feeling. When he opened his eyes again, they were bizarre. Their colour turned to gold like a tiger and he started running with the dogs, following his instincts. His friends tried to keep up with him, but it seemed like something possessed Eugene and gave him strength and endurance.

  
_That everything, everything ends_   
_That everything, everything ends_

  
They faced each other. Maggie, tears streaming down her face, shaking with fear, surrounded by abandoned animals. Eugene, look like one of them, sweat over his body, making the dust he covered his eyes with flow. He stared at her curiously and approached slowly. She didn’t move, still crying of fear. The others finally reached them and Zach ran toward Maggie to hold her in his arms. She cried more and more, trying to speak as the rest of the group came to reassure her :  
“There was... gunshot... footsteps... animals...”  
Nobody really paid attention to Eugene. He was watching the animals as if he was talking to them. He seemed both very confused and happy, which wasn’t really usual on his face. Then he sat down, legs crossed, and the cats, dogs, rats and bunnies that came with Maggie hugged and played with him. When the group turned to him, there was only shock.  
“What the hell is happening ? Zach asked.  
-I don’t know, seems like he... talk... to them ? Keith answered.  
-There’s definitely something like that, Ariel acquiesced.”  
Eugene looked up and smiled. The animals took a step back and let him stand up to join his friends. They followed him.  
“Care to explain ? Ned questioned.  
-I... it’s so weird to explain... I think they have found Maggie for me. They led her to us.  
-I did followed a cat, Maggie answered with interest. And there were other animals...  
-They seem glad that you haven’t been scared of them.”  
The comment was really bizarre. Everybody felt silent.  
“What ? What’s wrong ?  
-You can understand them ? Maggie dared to ask.”  
He looked at them, confused.  
“I... think... I don’t know, it’s so bizarre ! Everything seems weird in my body !  
-We’ll figure out. It doesn’t look bad... Becky reassured him.”  
He nodded.  
“Okay, so now that everyone’s here, we can... we can try to find a car, Ned proposed.”  
Everyone followed him through the streets as he led them to the outskirts of the city.


	6. Something in the air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is something in the air, and it isn't really love...

There was a lot of houses, aligned one by one in a spectacular monotony. At least some of them had colours or different architectures, but besides that, the majority looked the same. They were looking for garages in the basement, the ones most likely to have a functional car. That meant breaking in a house and steaming a car and probably other stuffs. It was a repulsive idea before the apocalypse, but now there wasn’t really property now. Everything belonged to who found it first or who was strong enough to make it their.  
There was a house especially that was still almost standing. The group chose it with no doubt and approached the garage’s door.  
“Okay, so, how do we enter ? Ariel asked.  
-By breaking it I think, her husband answered.”  
He touched it, tried to see how strong it was, kicking it. Eugene stopped him and punched it in the middle with his foot. It cracked up but didn’t break. Ariel gave him the axe and he throw it into the door which broke. With some more throws, they could all enter. Wes was wide awake, but he didn’t cry even with the loud sound it made. He seemed a little afraid but his mother who was holding him managed to reassure him.  
The garage wasn’t really big, but what they found there exceeded their expectations. A pickup car stood in the middle of the room and only its windows were shattered.  
“Fine. Perfect. Now does anyone know how to turn a car on without keys ? Becky asked.  
-Maybe we can just... looking around, Maggie proposed. They should be somewhere in the house.  
-Eh, you’re not dumb.”  
They laugh.  
“Let’s search those motherfucking keys, the first said before starting looking on the shelf.”  
Everyone started to do so, but they soon had to go upstairs as they couldn’t find any key. They did found tools that were thrown in the pickup, but that wasn’t enough. The first floor wasn’t much interesting, but they could collect some more food and, sadly, baby food too. The second floor, though, was where they found the keys, in the parent’s bedroom.  
Becky was alone in the bathroom, looking for medicine – and peeing because she was human, when something really strange happened. She took a flashlight with a battery and she got shocked. Well, she didn’t felt pain, but she could definitely feel the electricity through her body. She touched the battery and got shocked again, a lot stronger that before and the rush of energy didn’t last. She screamed, so her husband was there soon, and what he saw really scared the shit out of him. Becky was leaning forward, not showing her face, and little thunderbolts were emerging from her skin which was covered by purple light where blood and electricity meet.   
“BECKY ! he yelled. What- oh god what’s happening ?!”  
His friends came after and froze in shock as she finally took control over the energy. She fell on the ground but Keith was soon by her side, holding her. Eugene sits in front of her.  
“Becky ?”  
She looked at him, confused and afraid.  
“It’s okay Becky, Keith whispered to her.  
-What happened ?  
-I- I’ve already been told about it, Eugene started telling. My mom’s a psychic, and she told me that psychics can... control electricity, in certain cases. I think that’s what happened.”  
She looked even more confused.  
“I’m a psychic ?  
-That doesn’t even exist ! Ned said, panicking.  
-Do you have any other way to explain that ? Eugene responded.”  
Everyone fell silent. He had won the argument.  
It took time for everyone to proceed what happened earlier. A lot of time. They spent the evening speaking about it while taking care of Wes. Eugene answered every questions of his friends with calm. He couldn’t quite believe it himself, but he managed to stay serious. Everyone around him was freaking out and he was really concerned. Psychic ? That was part of his culture, not entirely new. Bombing ? His parents got off a country that was bombed. He knew it more than the others. Plus, he was the one that seem the less vulnerable. He was just worried about his friends breaking down, falling apart and taken away from him. He knew he couldn’t survive without them, not physically but mentally. He couldn’t bear their lost.  
The group stayed in the house for the night. It was strange but almost everyone managed to sleep except the insomniac that is Eugene. So he took care of Wes every times he woke up, feeding him and changing him with what they had found, holding him, singing him lullabies in English and Korean.

The next morning, they all get in the car, Keith, Becky and Ariel with Wes in the front, the others in the back. Keith succeeded in turning the car on and started driving carefully. Even though the road was covered in shits and concrete, he drove almost without passing on something. He went full north to quit Los Angeles.  
There was an odd feeling. That was the first time they left L.A not knowing if they could ever come back. This city saw them growing not as children but as adults, best friends, co-workers, film-makers, youtubers and performers. It was more than four years of their lives, the most important ones, and it felt like they were living it behind. They cried, but not too much, over the lost memories that lied in the ruins of their city.  
On the way, Ned turned the radio on again.  
“... have found that the chemicals, due to winds, are going faster to the north. The estimated deaths have rose up to one million of people. A lot of survivors are hiding in bunkers but because of the radioactivity, specialists said it wasn’t the best idea. Their advises are to migrate as fast as you can to the extreme north of the continent where the chemicals will be the least effective.”  
Zach shifted uncomfortably and lied down, his eyes bright with tears.  
“Are you okay ? Eugene asked.  
-It hurts... too much... his friend answered. I don’t have my pills and I’ll probably won’t have them anymore... at all.  
-What can we do ?”  
Maggie looked over him, sincerely worried.  
“Massages and ice, that is all. For the rest...”  
The car bounced because a rock passed under the wheels, causing Zach to scream in pain.  
“Fuck- that shit hurts ! For the rest, it’s my part : stretching and exercise.  
-Come here.”  
Maggie open her legs so he could sit between and start massaging his neck and back. He tensed down a bit.  
“We have nothing to ice it, Ned pointed out.  
-We’ll find something next time we stop... It should be soon because it’s been hours since Keith started driving.  
-I think I can’t drive, Zach complained.  
-It’s okay, we know... Ned reassure him. We are enough with a driving license.  
-Even without it nobody’ll check, Eugene said.”  
Everyone was looking at each other in worries. They only hoped their friend would be fine. Besides that, they will have to watch him suffer knowing they can’t do anything – which is one of the worst feeling in the world.  
In the front, Wes was crying against Ariel’s chest. She changed him on her knees with the help of her friend but he didn’t stop.  
“What’s happening ? Becky asked.”  
His mother tried to calm him.  
“His teeth are growing and it hurts...  
-Aw... wait, let me take care of him.”  
Becky shoved her arms around the baby and took him against her chest. She swung him slowly. Ariel looked relieved but somehow hesitant, almost conflicted.  
“I need to tell you something.  
-Yeah ? Keith answered, his eyes on the road.”  
She paused, looking at her stomach.  
“I... I am pregnant.”  
She didn’t dare to look up.  
“What... ? Keith let out before his wife kicked him. Yeah, sorry, hum, I don’t know how to react...  
-I don’t know either... It’s... frightening.  
Ariel sighed.  
“Have you told Ned ? Keith asked.  
-No... I- it would give him a heart attack !  
-So you’re planning on waiting ‘til to tell him... Becky summed up.”  
Ariel took seconds to think about it.  
“Aw, you’re right...  
-I always am, her friend smiled. Does anyone else know about it ?  
-Eugene.”  
The couple had a realisation.  
“Oh. The moment you went vomiting, right ? Keith remembered.”  
The blond woman nodded.  
“I will tell him. Don’t worry. I still have a trimester and a half.  
-You’re already at four months ? Keith shouted before his wife shushed him.”  
Ariel acquiesced once again. She was panicking a lot about everything that was happening. She didn’t expected this and actually learned about her surprise pregnancy few weeks ago. She looked at the road and didn’t turned around when she felt a hand on hers. She knew it was Becky who was comforting her and that worked.


	7. The Radio Saves the Video Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More powers, more dangers.

They drove on the road for almost a month, trying to stop as much as possible. Only few strange things happened during the trip as they were still migrating to the north, following the radio’s instructions.  
The first one was when, once again, Eugene’s eyes looked like animal ones. Everyone freaked out when he ran with the dogs – but it turned out he was hunting with them. He went back to them with blood all over him and meat he had cut on a freshly killed animal. Well, that was frightening, but when he went back to normal, everyone was reassured. He didn’t know what happened, but he thought it had something to do with the psychic thing. Since Becky was still powered with electricity, his friends were more inclined to believe him, even though he didn’t quite entirely believe it himself.  
By the time after this, Ariel’s belly grew bigger and Ned started noticing. That led to an announcement covered with anxiety from everyone but mostly Ned as the baby was coming in nearly five months and they were still on the road. They didn’t even reached Montana and even less Canada so they couldn’t start to settle within three months if the car didn’t break up. The road was pretty rough for it to drive on and they were afraid. Plus, not everyone could fit inside and by that it means only Ariel and Wes would sleep on the front sit. The other slept in the back, crawled up against one other to get some heat because even though it was still the summer, nights became colder as they approached Canada. When Ariel told Ned about her pregnancy, he cried and screamed, becoming madder and madder and he would have gone crazy if his friends didn’t reasoned him. Because of everything that was happening. It was just something that shouldn’t be like that and he couldn’t feel happy about having another child. Fortunately, Ariel was thinking the same but they both agreed to not kill them even though it will be tough to raise two children in this situation. The only option left for them was to try. Eventually, in the night, Ned would wake up in cold sweat after a nightmare caused by his anxiety, but he always had an insomniac friend – most of the time Eugene – to calm him. He never liked being held like a child as much as he did after the bombings. It just freed him from his anxiety so much. He felt calm every time someone would take him in their arms, no matter who it was – well it still felt better in his wife’s arms.  
After some times, Maggie started to feel weird and her boyfriend noticed it. She couldn’t explain it clearly before a thought came to her : it was mostly confused emotions, fear, panic but also love. There was apprehension but also determination to raise a child. She didn’t know where it came from, she only knew it wasn’t from her.  
“What’s happening Maggie ? Zach asked.  
-I... huh, I hear someone’s thoughts I think...”  
It got clearer and clearer in her head and she gasped.  
“It’s about Ariel’s baby...  
-What ??  
-Someone’s expecting them... That’s... so weird... it’s a mix of so much emotions...  
-What emotions ? Keith demanded.  
-There’s a lot of fear... love... excitement... anxiety...”  
Eugene lowered his eyes. Nobody saw him, but he knew it was his thoughts.  
“He’s... happy.  
-He ? So it’s not you girls, Ned commented. It’s... one of us ?”  
He looked at the other guys. That was when he saw Eugene looking at the ground.  
“Is this you ? he asked softly.  
-Yeah, I mean... Eugene started. I- well we’ll live together for now... I mean living apart from each other... I don’t know for you but it’ll kill me. So, from that point, knowing Ariel is pregnant, I just want... we all be part of that baby’s life, right ? Like we are part of Wes’s life. And I just want... I want this baby to be good, to be raised by us and I want to... take care of them. Like you’re not alone... I would do anything for your babies...”  
He was talking honestly because he felt like he had to explain himself. Ned ended up crying in front of him. He reached him and hold him in his arms tightly, sobbing on his messy t-shirt.  
“I love you so much... I love you all...”  
Eugene hugged him back, smiling.  
“I love you too dude.”  
Everyone else just hold them so it ended up as a collective hug but the dark-haired man didn’t mind.  
“We still have a question to answer, Maggie said. Why do I hear Eugene’s thoughts ?”  
Each one of them stepped back and looked at her.  
“Well, psychic can be telepaths, Eugene said without thinking about it.”  
It wasn’t new anymore. They felt like it was just something that happened, no matter how crazy it was for them before. They just accepted it and the first thing Maggie did was to try controlling her ability. When she finally could hear the thoughts of the person she was looking at and not some random thoughts of Eugene – his were fucking loud, she got excited. That was something they weren’t afraid of anymore.  
That was the reason no one freaked out at night, when they stopped outside a city and made a fire, and Ariel felt the urge to put her hand in it like Ned sometimes felt the urge to eat soap on video. Well, that wasn’t quite true, everyone freaked out, it just didn’t lasted as much as it would have. She didn’t felt any pain and when she took out her palm, it was still on fire but it never burned her skin. Ned, who was holding Wes, sighed in relief and sat next to her.  
“Does it hurt ? he asked with concern.  
-No, she answered, amazed by the fire. It feels soft.  
-Like... silk ? Zach demanded out of interest.  
-Pretty much, yeah...”  
She threw her hand and the fire in her hand joined the campfire.  
“Can you, like, control the fire into forms like in the films ?? Keith intervened.”  
She tried, and confused shadows formed in the flames. It wasn’t a frank success but it was still really impressive. Even Wes was impressed by that. Well, Wes was at the age when everything was just the most amazing thing in the world and maybe it was just the fire that interested him...  
Few days later, Ariel started to have bad back pain due to her pregnancy. She was feeling bad all the time so Ned took care of the baby 24/7. He didn’t mind and was more concerned about his wife and future baby’s health. His mood swings had been more bad lately, he still managed to control them. Once, Maggie was driving and Zach was between her and Ariel, who was in pain. She was trying every position in order to ease the ache. It didn’t work. Like a reflex, Zach put his hand on her back, where he felt it was the most painful, and Ariel calmed down. He felt a sort of energy going through his hand to the back and he could localize the pain.  
“How are you doing that ? she asked, closing her eyes.  
-I- I don’t know... I just- I know where your pain is.”  
She laughs. She was so relieved the only thing she could do was laughing. After a moment she said :  
“I think you gotta talk to Eugene...”  
Eugene had become the reference in psychic abilities. No one knew if these powers were already there or if they appeared out of nowhere with the Apocalypse.

After leaving the USA, there was a strange feeling of leaving past lives behind amongst the group. They didn’t know when they could come back or even when and now they were driving in the forests of Canada that were way less destructed than Los Angeles or United States’ landscapes. It was autumn and the surrounding was beautiful, that was one of the only consolations they had. Ariel’s belly grew bigger and it was soon the end of her pregnancy. Everyone was stressed because they had no way to know if the baby was okay, most importantly Ned whose mood swings got worse. If he was alone, maybe he would have already gone mad.  
While the group was on the road, Eugene driving with Ned and Ariel next to him, black clouds appeared in the sky and soon rain started falling down. Everyone got wet in the back but the most frightening thing was the thunder. Even Eugene freaked out at it because they had no shelter and in the middle of a forest, thunder is deadly. He knew it, and that is why he drove off the road to a mountain. Trees got more rare and ground was more rough. He continued to go north but as soon as he saw a cave, he stopped the car near it and made everyone get in there. He was always moving, really nervous, as he started a fire. He burnt some wood but as he didn’t have enough, he also put his shirt in it, even though the others weren’t fond of this idea – it was soon winter for God’s sake ! He made everyone took off the most wet clothes in order to dry them up.  
“We should stay here for a moment...”  
For some reason, Ariel was crying and Wes, in her arms, could do nothing else than imitate her. Ned try to calm her down but it didn’t work at all and he ended crying too. Eugene took the baby and the four others calmed the couple down. It was really a stressful moment...  
Three days later, they took the road again, Zach driving this time. He drove back on the road they have let to find the cave but he soon was stopped by a tree that was hit by a lightning and fell on the way. Everyone got out except the driver who was now holding Wes. They tried to lift the tree but it was too heavy.  
“FUCK THIS TREE ! Ned shouted, enraging.”  
He made a movement of anger with his hand and the tree flied through the air and landed against other trees. Everyone fell silent and looked at him with shock.  
“H-how did I do that ??  
-Is telekinesis a part of psychic abilities ? Keith asked to Eugene.  
-It can...”  
Ned started going mad and everyone rush to him in order to calm him. It ended up in a big hug before everyone else go back to the car. Zach started driving again, asking some questions about what the fuck happened.  
It was incredible the radio still worked even after so much time... It’s been four months and it was still working. When they turned it on and found the correct station, here is what they heard :  
“We now have better information about what is happening in the world right now. The chemicals will affect every part of the globes but here are the few places that are still liveable : Canada, Alaska, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Sub-Saharan countries in Africa, Antarctica, Oceania and the South of India. The final number of the deaths in the whole world is around three billons and a half. The people affected by the chemicals are... the whole human race. We don’t know when the USA will be liveable again. Do your best to stay safe and remember to listen us. Info 24/7 during the end of the world. It is North America Radio Station, stay here-”  
The speaker couldn’t end his sentence : the radio finally broke down.


	8. A New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new life is born as the group start their own after the Apocalypse. It's the circle of life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That is the last chapter but a bonus chapter may follow !

* * *

No one knew how the group managed to find this abandoned farm in the safe zone, but they did. Ariel was at nine months of pregnancy and she would soon give birth. Knowing they had somewhat a roof above their head was a real relief, but the problem was, the only building where they could live – the house – was too destroyed to be used. Sleeping in straws wasn’t what they have planned so they decided to build their own house.  
The first thing they did was searching in the ruins and keeping what they could use after. Once they had an good amount, they started with the foundations, drawing on the ground what it would look like more or less. Ariel was the one doing that, even with her condition. Her husband really couldn’t make her rest, she was too stubborn. When she felt the first contraction, she winced but said nothing. There was several ones in the few next hours but she continued her work. Then it was too much. It was an unbearable pain in her body and she fell at the ache. Keith saw her and time literally stopped. Without asking himself mire questions, he ran to her and she was in his arms before she could hit the ground. Her scream had gotten the attention of the others and Ned screamed her name. He was soon next to her.  
“What’s happening ??”  
She was trying to breath slowly. There was liquid on her jeans and everyone knew.  
“Bring her in the farm, Eugene said while running off.”  
When they brought her, there was a long piece of fabric on the strews so it could be comfortable for her. Eugene was already preparing what he needed to deliver the child. He had prepared himself for that since he knew Ariel was pregnant and when they settled in the old farm, he kept whatever he found useful for the birth. He had plastic gloves that never had been used, and he gave a pair to whoever wanted to assist him, meaning Keith, Becky and Zach. Maggie was with Wes – who knew how to walk now - and the dogs to keep them from seeing this. Ned just stayed next to her and hold her hand.  
The birth was so much faster than Wes’s. Ariel soon had heavy contractions and she was opened for the baby to get out. She didn’t mind her friends seeing this : she was in too much pain to think about it. Eugene was actually the most calm, telling her to breath in and out in time as he remembered the one time he did it with Ned for a video, calming her when she was obviously breaking down. He would panic later, he knew that, but now wasn’t the right time. He asked Ned to put her in a sitting position and hold her and she seemed relieved. The pain was less bad and it felt easier. When they could see the head, Eugene held it with attention. He was actually on the ground as he got the baby and helped Ariel put them out. After two hours of labour, the baby was finally crying in Eugene’s arms and the others helped the mother delivering the placenta. Ned cut the umbilical cord and held the baby.  
“They have a vagina, Eugene said happily.”  
The baby was crying so loudly it actually made Wes cry too even though he was far away. When everything was finished, Ned put their child on his wife’s chest and together they cried of joy.  
“How are we gonna call them ? Ned asked.  
-I was thinking of... Charlie Morgan Fulmer... Ariel proposed with an exhausted voice.”  
Her husband acquiesced and kissed the baby forehead.  
“Can I bring Wes now ? Maggie asked.  
-Well, there’s a lot of blood, we should clean before he could come, Eugene said while already cleaning.”  
He changed the piece of fabric under Ariel, he washed the floor and put a blanket on the mother whose clothes were dirty. Then Wes could enter.  
Wes wasn’t really talking. He was more babbling around and trying to say others. He could already say a few actually... and he could walk. That’s why when Maggie bring him he was walking on his own. He almost ran to his parents, not far from falling on the way, but stopped when he saw the little baby in his mother’s arms. He pointed them and babbled.  
“Hey, come meet your new sibling ! his father said.”  
Encouraged by how happy everyone seemed, he walked toward the baby and Ned lifted him to let him see the little being.  
“Here is your sibling Charlie ! Ariel introduced the new-born baby.”  
They were so healthy and alive. All the people around were so joyful they didn’t noticed Eugene had disappear. Only Ned did, but he said nothing. He kind of knew what was going on and he wanted to give him time. That was something big, he just delivered a child, the father could understand how emotional it had been.

The same night, the group had the best dinner they could have around the fire. They had let their work for this day but it didn’t really mattered, they had time for that. A new life started this day, it was something to celebrate. They were free, they were alive and more than that, they were happy. They felt they could survive every apocalypse now. Together, they were strong enough to face the world and that was enough.


End file.
